Locomotive fire box



Patented July 10, 1928.

UNITED CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY, O1? CIZIGAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO IAOGOMOTIVE FIRE-v Fm I BOX COMPANY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

Loooivio'rlvn FIRE Box.

Application filed May 13,

My invention relates to locomotive boilers and its object is to increase the capacity;

efficiency and durability of such boil e'rs. A

special object of the invention is to provide.

and improve water-steaming-and-circulating attachments that may be built into or attached to any locomotive boiler firebox and which shall serve to 'greatlydncrease the effective heating area thereof, and furthermore to promote a vigorous tore-and-att' circulation'ot all of the waterin the boiler; and, a further object. of the invention- 'is to provide an attachment of the class mentioned which shall be of simple and economical construction and which shall be so related to the complementary firebox as to obviate all of the usual difiiculties growing out otthe varying degrees of expansion and contraction taking. place 1n the dilierent parts ofthe firebox. Still another object of the invention is to provide a Water-steamingand-circulating attachment, or rather pair of attachments, I for installation within a locomotive firebox and which shall constitute anefiective fire arch therein andalso serve to subdividethe firebox fiamebody and-thus increase the radiant area off the flame body.

My invention comprises a pair of opposite'ly formed hollow water-steaming andcirculating walls which are vdisposed between the sidesancl crown of the firebox, "drawing water from thesid'e water legs of the boiler and delivering the same upon the top of the firebox crown; all as hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will be rea dily understood on reference to the accompanying drawings,

' which form a part of thespecification and in which Fig, his a transverse vertical secs 'tion' of a locomotive firebox embodymg my nvention? Elg. '2 is an enlarged vert cal transverse section of a portion of the firebox and one lot the water-circulating members shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is like untoFig. l, but showsWater-circulating members of a difi'erent'shape; Fig. l is a sectional detail "illnstrat'ing preferred construction of the water-circulating device or member; Fig.5 isa sectional view thereofon theline 55 QfF'ig- 4:; Fig a arevertical 0ngitudinal sections of locomotive, firehoxes of two kinds showing the ditferentside elevaitlbnil'l shapes that the water-circulating elements may assume; Fig. 8- is a sectional detail enemy of the lines 88 ofthe different 1922. Serial No. 560,663.

figures, and Fig. 9 is a partial View of one of the flanged ends of either of the members shown.

Asshown in thedrawings, the nature of my invention is such'as to, comprise two oppositely formed water-circulating walls somewhat in the form 01? brackets and which extendfrom each side sheet of the fireboxto the crown sheet thereof, opening through both, so that Water is drawn from the side? legs of the firebox anddis'chargedupon the These walls are hollow, They partake of many diiierent forms, all serving the 'samer top of the firebox. brackets, as indicated;

5, the crown sheet 6 and'the back sheet 7,

the latter containing the door opening .18.

The ioundation or mud-ring is shown at 9,

No attempt has been made to'illustrate the grate. The firebox of Fig. 7 diliers 'from Fig. 6 in that it"is provided with a: so-ca-lled combustion chamber -10. The 'flues or "the boiler are marked- 11'. Asusuauthe shell and firebox are connected by numerous staybolts 12; The portions "13 are known as the side water legs of the boiler andthe space 141- above the firebox is the waterand level being Ldepicted'by the line 14:

} Referring now to Figs. land 2: The

an a

steam space otthe boilenthenorma'l water water-circulating men'ibers or hollow walls above referred to; as clearly depicted: in Figs.

land '3, are reversely or'oppositely placed and pos'ltionedfinthe firebox. As shown,

there are two of them.- Each wall comprises a lower portion A an upper portion and an intermed ate or curving knnckle' portion A and each" hollow wall ,is from thr ee to four inches in thickness, containing the water space or passage. A which, at the b ot'-' tom, communicates with the water leg 13 and at the top-v communicates with the Water andst-eam space 14, 3S veryclearlyshown in .Figs. 2 and 4t. Thellower portion A is not horizontal, but, starting at point some Jun 2 distance away from, the flue sheet 4, extends upwardly and rearwardly to a higher point 16 on the side sheet 5. Throughout this dis tance the lower end is open to the 'side leg 13. Theupper portion A occupies a vertical, 01- substantially vertical, plane in the firebox and opens through the crown sheet, from a point, 17 to a point 18 thereof. The

knuckle portion A obviously serves to unite the upperand lower portions-and in every case .is formed upon. a generous radius or curve for the purpose of absorbing diflen ences of expansion or contraction.

As indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, the upper in order that there shall be ample outlet for.

the waterand steam at the top; also for the reason that by extending the upper portioir the heating surface is similarly extended,

with obvious benefit to the firebox. In brief,

I prefer the shapes illustrated iii-Figs. 6 and 7, although smaller shapes may have the advantage of calling for smaller plates.

Each member comprises two sheets 19 and 20, connected by numerous short stay-bolts or battle within the firebox.

21. The edges 22 of these sheets are fianged or brought together as well shown in Fig. 8, the seam being completed by autogenous weld 23. See also Figs. 2 and 4. At the upper andlower ends the sheets are flared outwardly to form the terminal flanges 24, which respectively are made to conform to the side and crown sheets of the firebox. The fianged'ends occupy openings formed therefor in the firebox sheets and are united thereto by autogenous welds 25. These may belap-welds, as shown in-Fig. 2, or butt.-

welds, as shown in Fig. 4. By preference certain of the stay-bolts areplaced in the wide terminal flanges of the member in order that the member may be directly connected with the wrapper or shell 3 of the firebox. v I i For the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 (Figs. 6 may also be considered) I provide thefirebox with a- .single arch supporting tube 26. This and the inner walls of the members A serve to support a sectional firebrick arch 27, which normally occupies the space between the two water-circulating elements. With the parts 27 the members complete a very eifective fire arch To avoid the use of a supported arch tube the knuckle portions A of the two members ,may be brought more closelytogether, as

shown'in Fig. 3. The space between the members is then occupied by a single row of firebrick 28. 'A space of not less than twelve inches should be allowed between the members inv order that (the brick being removed) a workman may pass forward between them to do any necessary worlt upon the fluesheet of the boiler.

A marked dlfference will be observed be-. tween Figs. 2 and 4. In Fig. 2 the -water-- circulating member is shown to be stay bolted throughout, Whereas in Fig. 4, it will be notedthat the stay-bolts are omitted in the knuckle portion A. Thereby the flexibility of the member is increased, providing for the easy absorption of all expansion and contraction stresses- The only stay. bolts used in this section arethe stay-bolts 21' at the edges of the members, these-being required to protect thewveld 28 '(see Fig. The curved, portions of the knuckle 'areself supporting and retain their form against the internal pressure of the boiler. The ex-,

tent of the free knuckle to be employed,-is

determined. by the thickness of plates 19 and 20 and the pressure. to becarriedby "the boiler.

. These water-circulating members are preferably made from sheets of the same; kind and thickness as those employed in making the side and crown sheets of the firebox, but

my invention 'comprehends the employment of different materials. It is entirely feasible to use copper water-circulating members of this form in fireboxes' which are composedof steel sheets.

The wash-out plugs 29 v are provided in the wrapper or shell of the boiler opposite the upper and lower ends of the water-circulating members and upon the removal of these plugs it is an easy matter to "wash and'clean the internal surfaces of the members. They upon the exterior to dislodge hard scale.

When the boiler is under fire and'the fire.-

box virtually filled by the body of flame these members obviously present heating should occasionally bebombarded or bobbed surfaces of the most advantageous sort and v position. The evaporation of the water in the members induces a rapid flow. of water there-through. This water is drawn from the side water legs of the boiler, which spaces, are replenished from water which flows rearwardly from the barrel of the boiler. The wide open tops of the members 7 provide for the easy disengagement of all fountaining therefrom must needs find its steam evolved thereinv and the hot water' way forward to the .front end of the boiler. v

Thus a pronounced and vigorousfore-and,

aft circulation'is set up within the boiler,

with marked improvement in the steaming efficiency of every square foot of heating surface therein. I

In event of low water in the boil'er, the

fountains rising from the members Serve "to cover and protect thecrown sheet of the firebox and prevent a disastrous explosion.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A locomotive boiler and its stay bolted internal firebox, in combination with two longitudinally disposed'and transversely opposed fiat faced and stay bolted bracketshaped water circulating walls within said firebox, each said wall having a transverse lower portion that is rearwardly and upwardly inclined and, at its outer end, at-

tached to its respective side of the firebox, each saidw'all having an upright upper portion which has its top attached to the top of a the fircb x, and, the upright portions of the two walls being separated by a passage which affords access to thefront ot' the firebox.

internal firebox, in combination with two longitudinally disposed and transversely op-.

posed fiat faced and stay bolted bracketshaped water circulating walls within said firebox, each said wall having a transverse lower portion that is 'rearwardly wardly inclined and, at its outer end, attached to its respective side of the firebox,

each said wall having an upright upper portion, the top of which is of a length greater 2. A locomotive boiler and its stay bolted and upthan said contains two spaced apart longitudinal slots of greater length than those in the side sheets, 111 combination with oppos tely disouter end of the transverse lower portion and which longertop is attached to the firebox, and the upright porposed bracket-shaped water circulating walls having upper and lower parts which comcorrespond to the slots in' municate with and respective crown and side sheets.

' 4; In a locomotive boiler as defined in.

claim 1, each said' wall being staybolted throughout its extent, except in the bend portion joining its; transverse and upright portions.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this'Gth-day of May, 1922. CHARLES GILBERT .HAWLEY. 

